No matter how much time and effort you spend to keep your home’s bathroom clean and sanitary, unsightly stains can undo all your hard work. Rust stains can give your perfectly kept plumbing fixtures a filthy appearance and may discourage you from inviting friends and family to enjoy your home. Even if the toilet, tub, or sink has just been scrubbed, the visual appearance of stains may leave everyone who uses the fixture feeling a little less clean than before.
Yet stubborn tub and toilet iron stains can be frustrating to clean. If you’re having trouble with streaky, lingering rust in your clean bathroom, view our tips to learn more about how to remove toilet, tub, and sink stains.
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Iron Stains – How They Happen
Iron stains often seem to come out of nowhere. Thus, it might surprise anyone to discover the potential for them existed all along. The dissolved iron in drinking water contacts the air and begins to oxidize. As the iron begins to oxidize, the particles will begin to collect and form stains on your toilet, faucet, or bathtub.
Bleach-based cleaners encourage the formation of iron tub or toilet stains. The chemicals in bleach cleaners interact with the iron to encourage further build up and make it more difficult to clean.
The Process of Cleaning Bathtub, Sink, & Toilet Stains
Removing iron stains from your toilet, sink, or bathtub can take a bit of work, but is well worth the time you put in. Once you have removed them, it requires minimal effort to keep them at bay. So, how do you remove tub, sink, and toilet stains in your bathroom? These tried-and-true methods can help you restore your bathroom to a stain-free state!
Use Cleaning Products Without Bleach to Eliminate Stains
If you find you have an issue with toilet or fixture rust stains appearing and returning, consider your cleaning products and tools. Select cleaners without bleach, and scrubbers that will not damage the toilet or sink’s surface. A roughened, compromised surface is more likely to collect oxidized iron.
Apply Vinegar & Lemon Juice to Tough Stains
Mix one part white vinegar or lemon juice with one part water. Combine these in a spray bottle and apply it to the surface of your sink, toilet, or bathtub to eliminate stains. Use a brush with firm bristles to scrub and remove the stains.
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Create a Mixture of Oxalic Acid & Warm Water
If vinegar or lemon juice does not deal with the toilet stains, try a mixture of one part oxalic acid to ten parts warm water. Allow it to sit for one to three minutes before scrubbing with a hard-bristled brush.
Rub a Pumice Stone Against the Surface of the Toilet, Faucet, or Tub
A pumice stone can make quick work of rust stains. Wet the stone, then rub it against the toilet bowl, tub, or sink. It will leave behind a paste that can power away tub or toilet stains without damaging the surface. Use this paste to clean the iron sediment from where it has collected.
Concoct a Mixture of Vinegar & Baking Soda to Eliminate Iron Stains
You can also use a mixture of three parts baking soda to one part vinegar as a method to clean stubborn iron bathroom sink and toilet stains.
Prevent Additional Iron Stains With a Cleaning Routine
Once you have removed the existing stains, keep them away with a regular cleaning routine. A clean surface is less likely to collect iron stains. Also, consider installing a water softener in your home. These can specifically remove iron from your water supply to help prevent rust stains. In the most extreme cases, you may need to consider upgrading your home’s pipes and plumbing. Rust deposits may originate in older pipes that have begun to degrade.
The Experts in Plumbing Needs
If cleaning the toilet is not enough to eliminate stains or other issues, we recommend investing in a new toilet for your downstairs or master bathroom. Whether you’re concerned about the toilet stains brought on by excess iron, water heater noises, sewer line breakages, to gas leaks, Fenwick Home Services has the expertise you need. Give us a call by phone at 904-217-5694 or schedule an appointment online to receive assistance from our team in Jacksonville and other areas of Florida.